Fibre Basics

Fibre Basics

Fibre Basics

Optical fibre is a highly-transparent strand of glass that transmits light signals with low attenuation (loss of signal power) over long distances, providing nearly limitless bandwidth. This technology enables telecommunications service providers to send voice, data, and video at ever increasing rates. Corning is committed to providing education and technical support to ensure the basics of optical fibre, its composition, and its capabilities are understood.

Optical fibre is a highly-transparent strand of glass that transmits light signals with low attenuation (loss of signal power) over long distances, providing nearly limitless bandwidth. This technology enables telecommunications service providers to send voice, data, and video at ever increasing rates. Corning is committed to providing education and technical support to ensure the basics of optical fibre, its composition, and its capabilities are understood.

Overview

Fibre Basics

Innovation

For years we have operated within a culture of innovation that has positioned us as the world leader in specialty glass and ceramics. In 1970, we ignited the communications revolution by inventing the first low-loss optical fibre for use in telecommunications networks around the world. Since fibre was invented over 40 years ago, our ongoing product and process invations have helped make possible ever-faster telecommunications networks that link neighborhoods, connect cities and bridge continents.

The Modes of Light

Brilliant clarity over distance.

Known for innovative design and practical applications, we have developed an array of single-mode fibre and multimode fibre products for all of today's applications. Single-mode fibre has a smaller core, allowing only one mode of light to move through it at a time. This streamlined design is used primarily in telephony applications, where the fibre needs high signal clarity over long distances. Multimode fibre has a larger core, allowing hundreds of modes to move through the fibre simultaneously. Multimode fibre is used primarily for data communications in enterprise networks, like campuses or buildings where transmission distances are two kilometers or less.

Lesson in a Box

Educating Tomorrow’s Scientists

We realise tomorrow’s dreamers and innovators are critical to success. We are dedicated to equipping teachers and students with educational tools and sharing our knowledge about optical fibre, its composition, and its capabilities.

Why Is It Important?

Why Is It Important?

In 1970, Corning scientists Drs. Robert D. Maurer, Donald B. Keck and Peter C. Schultz fundamentally changed and dramatically improved communication. Long before the Internet, cell phones and video conferencing, these explorers created the first low-loss optical fibre, a hair-thin strand of highly-transparent glass able to transmit information by reflecting light through the length of its core.

Today we take for granted our ability to quickly connect to the world and access information easily without leaving our home or office.

As the foundation of the "information superhighway," Corning’s optical fibre solutions provide immeasurable benefits to neighbourhoods, cities and continents.

Why is optical fibre so important? The way we live, work and play has been redefined thanks to optical fibre.

fibre enables the delivery of entertainment media such as high-definition TV, gaming systems and high-speed Internet. Because of optical fibre solutions, people around the world are able to use email, conduct research, participate in online learning opportunities and teleconference with family and friends. In addition, fibre allows one to telecommute with work colleagues, consult with experts, watch videos and movies on demand, and more.

Educational and financial institutions, health care facilities and businesses rely on tools and services enabled by optical fibre. As the global leader, Corning has delivered products for all network applications that facilitate e-learning, secure transfer of data, the delivery of life-saving medical technology, online medical consultations and more.

Optical fibre has created a communications pipeline that enables the world to change a village and a village to change the world.